


Deserving an Afterlife

by Hotalando



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Afterlife, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Childhood Memories, Emotional Baggage, Family Bonding, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:15:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24151177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hotalando/pseuds/Hotalando
Summary: One day, Ace wakes up in a strange place, in a different world. A minute before, he was dying on the battlefield in his brother‘s arms, the next he‘s lying on the floor, fallen out of bed. A new life? An afterlife? Ace tries to find a new purpose but fails so hard—until a newspaper article offers him a new perspective. A person to search for.
Relationships: Gol D. Roger/Portgas D. Rouge, Portgas D. Ace & Portgas D. Rouge
Kudos: 30





	Deserving an Afterlife

## Step 1

Petals fall on his shoes. Red lying on top of his dirty sneakers, such a high contrast that it nearly blinds him. The white leather so spoiled by the mud and gravel and their age—making the crinkled edges of the petals from a dying flower almost invisible. 

Ace has twenty-one years of Mother‘s Days to make up. Twenty-one years in which he hasn‘t felt her motherly care actively, but his very existence is the result of her love for him. 

All he‘s got are three red carnation in a miserable state but what about him isn‘t? Dirty shoes, torn jeans, creased shirt—he should have taken better care of himself, at least for today. _Especially_ for today. 

With a deep breath in and out, he decides to be ready to take the next step. To walk down the long path framed by flower beds on either side, up to the front porch of the very, very decent yet unique house. Large uncovered windows on each side of the huge door with ornamental glass windows all over. Revealed to the inhabitant is everything that happened outside the door, no hiding, no secrets, no surprises possible. A stage for the guest, visible to not only the owners of the property but also their neighbours and every passer-by on the sidewalk. 

Ready to be eaten. There would be no place to hide or take cover. No room for mistakes. 

Ace isn‘t ready for this. Everything turns numb, his arms falling to his sides along with the flowers. More petals scatter the pavement around him, marking his spot like the chalk lines around a corpse. So much for leaving no traces behind. He‘s failed. 

No surprises here. 

Spirits sinking lower to the depth of his guts, he finds it harder to keep his head up. His gaze settles on the three carnation in his hand, asking for one final purpose before withering away for good and he wishes he could promise them one. What should he do? Drop them in the front yard and leave? Stick them into the mailbox? Without a note? He should have prepared this better. His mother deserves better. 

Angry at himself, Ace decides to leave it be. What a stupid idea to come here! What does he expect his mother to think of him anyway? Take him in as if those twenty-one years hadn‘t happened? 

Stupid, stupid, _stupid_! 

Lost in the familiar self-loathe, he forces his body out of the paralysis to turn and move away from the gate, almost boiling from the despise flaring up in his chest. His fist clenched around the sorry excuse for a bouquet, squeezing it so tightly the stems break—proof of his ability to hurt even the smallest and most delicate beings. 

“Oh my, those poor flowers,“ a voice as delicate and soft sounds, so melodically. “I hope their fate has no deeper reason.” 

Ace stiffens. Busted. He doesn‘t dare to react. To even look up. What if...? _What if?_ A lump blocks his throat and every word he wants to say, he wants to say so much at once and none of it at all. Run off and stay, hide away and interact, he wanted everything. A happy ending the most. 

“Are you alright? You seem unwell.“ So much warmth and care is in this voice despite being directed to a stranger in worn down clothes and ruffled hair. He should drown in shame. 

An answer to that is the least he can give her, right? Maybe it‘s not her? How likely is that, standing in front of his mother‘s house and not expecting to bump into her. He is stupid. 

Trembling in a body numb on all levels, covered in a skin itching from anxiety. Nausea awakens within him. And still, he manages to look up and gaze into that perfect face. 

A soft blush adorning the lightly sun-tanned skin, friendly features on a mildly wrinkly face, reddish-blond hair braided up in a loose hairdo but some strands falling out that linger on her shoulders. The freckles—each one of them _his proof_ of their relation. He prays for the first time in ever, to not be mistaken. How could he be mistaken anyway?

“I... I-I‘m al-alright,“ Ace stutters weakly, no strength left to straighten up his posture—he can‘t feel his own body anymore. 

She frowns, “You sure? You‘re turning pale as we speak.“

He chokes on his nervousness. “No, I‘m just... just a little... uncomfortable...” His fist quashes the flower stems unconsciously, and the feeling makes him snap. “Don‘t mind me, I-I just thought... someone I... knew lives here.“ 

“Oh,” she gasps—followed by the most beautiful smile he has ever seen: “I‘m sorry, it‘s just me.“ 

“N-no, no, no...! You‘re good enough! Really! No, I mean it’s enough you live here– I don’t mind– I didn‘t mean to–”

Clear and fresh laughter interrupts his poor apology, reminding him of a calm day at sea when the waves splash against his boat, rocking it so gently. “You seem like a sweetheart to me. You remind me of my husband, such a rough man but kind at heart and goofy,“ she giggles, then offers her hand, “I‘m Rouge.

You want to come in?”

**Author's Note:**

> This is an experiment? After finding out that afterlife!Ace is a popular headcanon in the Japanese part of the fandom, I couldn‘t stop thinking about it. Please, don‘t make me think about how this could actually work xD I‘ve had some tough days and needed some fluff. But more explanations in the next chapter! I hope to finish this in five chapters. Thanks for reading so far!


End file.
